Yes I found out aboute DD+ with my Roku 3 and Netflix with the 42 inch 5.1 Vizio I have in the bed room. Had to set it to Stereo still bummed about that
I am considering going with a speaker and receiver setup to counter all the DD+ issues. Not sure yet. Going to hook the Vizio up next day or so and see how it performs

Got my soundbar in today from Sam's. So far very happy! Replacing a Bose GS Series II. The true 5.1 is awesome. Also, if I use my built in Netflix app on my TV, I get DD 5.1 on stuff like Orange is the New Black. I have all my media devices going through my 2014 Vizio e600i-B3(HDMI) including an HDMI switch for my playstation and WD TV Live and have optical going to the soundbar. So far so good.

Ugh. It's been a while since I've been in the HT game, and so it's sometimes even hard to ask the right questions.

I'm considering this SB bundle for my bonus room which has a Vizio 70" (M701D-A3) tv that im about to mount on the wall. I want to be sure this unit will fit the bill for a bonus room setup.

1. The SB supports DTS---WHICH codecs? All of them (DTS-HD/master audio) or just the basic DTS 5.1 of old? Can it play the lossless codecs with wireless sub and satellites?
2. Finally, and possibly the most important (for me)...I will have all of my components along with my Denon 4308ci in the closet. All components will be HDMI'd into the Denon--with one HDMI ran through the crawl space to the TV. Then, There would be HDMI out from TV to the SB...Would this SB work, allowing the Denon to basically function as a splitter??

From what I gathered through several phone calls to VIZIO is that most of these issues (DD/DTS pass through, multiple inputs, etc) can be handled IF your TV is new enough to have an ARC designated HDMI port.

He told me that the way to connect everything either through a splitter OR Receiver is to run a single HDMI cable from the receiver(or splitter) DIRECTLY into the soundbar. THEN, connect the ARC HDMI on the SB to the ARC HDMI on the TV.

This way, the TV doesn't have to pass through and downgrade any audio because it's going directly into the SB, and the SB is totally capable of passing Video to the TV.

I think everyone including myself thought: AVR/Spliiter---TV--TV passes audio through to SB. I was told it needs to be AVR/SPlitter --- SB--SB passes VIDEO to the TV via ARC ports.

From what I gathered through several phone calls to VIZIO is that most of these issues (DD/DTS pass through, multiple inputs, etc) can be handled IF your TV is new enough to have an ARC designated HDMI port.

He told me that the way to connect everything either through a splitter OR Receiver is to run a single HDMI cable from the receiver(or splitter) DIRECTLY into the soundbar. THEN, connect the ARC HDMI on the SB to the ARC HDMI on the TV.

This way, the TV doesn't have to pass through and downgrade any audio because it's going directly into the SB, and the SB is totally capable of passing Video to the TV.

I think everyone including myself thought: AVR/Spliiter---TV--TV passes audio through to SB. I was told it needs to be AVR/SPlitter --- SB--SB passes VIDEO to the TV via ARC ports.

All falls flat if your TV doesn't have HDMI ARC .

I don't think Vizio understands ARC (audio return channel). All ARC does is allow an OTA (over-the-air via antenna) received broadcast's sound to be sent to an AVR via HDMI rather than a separate Digital whether Coaxial or Optical. The HDMI ARC on this box is used as a passthrough to the display of Video thatt comes though the HDMI In or OTA from the TV the other way to the soundbar.

There are NO DTS or DD issues as the bar will play those standards. It will NOT play DD+ even as Stereo. It CANNOT deal with it all.

I don't think Vizio understands ARC (audio return channel). All ARC does is allow an OTA (over-the-air via antenna) received broadcast's sound to be sent to an AVR via HDMI rather than a separate Digital whether Coaxial or Optical. The HDMI ARC on this box is used as a passthrough to the display of Video thatt comes though the HDMI In or OTA from the TV the other way to the soundbar.

There are NO DTS or DD issues as the bar will play those standards. It will NOT play DD+ even as Stereo. It CANNOT deal with it all.

you may very well be right. To be honest, I had no idea what arc did either. All of my gear up until my current Vizio TV is only 1.3a spec.

hopefully however, it will help people to realize that they can connect directly into the sound bar and then into their television, so that the television doesn't have to process / downgrade the Dolby or DTS signals.

you may very well be right. To be honest, I had no idea what arc did either. All of my gear up until my current Vizio TV is only 1.3a spec.

hopefully however, it will help people to realize that they can connect directly into the sound bar and then into their television, so that the television doesn't have to process / downgrade the Dolby or DTS signals.

The one user had it wrong. ARC is so you can plug everything into your TV and then a single HDMI cable from the ARC input on the TV into an input on the sound bar. It works just like an optical cable.

The one user had it wrong. ARC is so you can plug everything into your TV and then a single HDMI cable from the ARC input on the TV into an input on the sound bar. It works just like an optical cable.

Once again, what you say is true, but most have experienced losing DD and DTS surround when passing through the TV. This is BC most TVs downgrade these signals to stereo BC a TV can't reproduce surround. Connecting gear directly into the sb allows the sb to decode and produce surround according to the incoming format.

so here's a question, is there another sound bar that offers what this does (wireless sub, rear surrounds, 3 channel bar) that has a)more HDMI ports and b)supports DD+? Space is an issue which is why I'm trying to avoid a traditional receiver/speaker setup. I really like this vizio but I don't want to deal with a splitter (have 3 hdmi devices) and DD+ netflix issues (primary video source).

so here's a question, is there another sound bar that offers what this does (wireless sub, rear surrounds, 3 channel bar) that has a)more HDMI ports and b)supports DD+? Space is an issue which is why I'm trying to avoid a traditional receiver/speaker setup. I really like this vizio but I don't want to deal with a splitter (have 3 hdmi devices) and DD+ netflix issues (primary video source).

Honestly not that I know of. Sonos offers a better set up with everything being wireless, but if your TV will not pass 5.1 through the optical out, you will have to use an optical splitter.

A few soundbars do have more HDMI inputs (3 in ports at most) but you lose the satellite speakers. From personal experience I find the definitive solo cinema studio to sound much better than the vizio 5.1 set up, but it cost double the price and is just a bar and sub.

Worser case scenario is that the sound bar needs warranty replacement, so Sam's was the right move- it's authorized. Not that there's a ton of places to buy this particular system right now, but in short enough time there will be. Vizio is tight like a drum about where these things are bought and what they'll warranty support. Buy it from an unauthorized dealer and you are screwed, period. Paperweight. Luckily I bought my 42" from Best Buy and when it died, Vizio sent out a whole new system toot sweet. Keep your receipt handy for proof of purchase and make note of the serial number because once these things are installed it's hard to see that. And never throw out the original box. These systems are great when they're working, but they seem to be finicky, almost like no other piece of gear I own. Plan ahead.

The one user had it wrong. ARC is so you can plug everything into your TV and then a single HDMI cable from the ARC input on the TV into an input on the sound bar. It works just like an optical cable.

Sorry, I don't have it wrong. ARC is for a TV to send Audio the OTHER way to an AVR elimiting the need for a separate Digital Audio cable, Coaxial or Optical. This box has an HDMI In for auxillary devices and an HDMI plus ARC pass-through to get Video from them to the TV/Display. The HDMI Out-ARC also feeds OTA Broadcast Audio back to the box if you use an antenna.

For the purpose of obtaining actual DD/DTS with this soundbar, the ARC capability really has nothing to do with it. The point is that in order to prevent the issue of the TV downgrading DD and DTS to stereo--the proper hook up is your AVR or HDMI switch into the SB, and then out from the SB (ARC doesn't matter here) to the TV.

This way, the SB decodes and produces proper audio soundtrack, and passes video to the display. ARC is actually irrelevant to that.
The CNET review of the SB actually mentions the fact that MOST TVs DON'T pass surround because they are only stereo sound devices to begin with...your TV settings/capabilitites may vary...

Honestly not that I know of. Sonos offers a better set up with everything being wireless, but if your TV will not pass 5.1 through the optical out, you will have to use an optical splitter.

A few soundbars do have more HDMI inputs (3 in ports at most) but you lose the satellite speakers. From personal experience I find the definitive solo cinema studio to sound much better than the vizio 5.1 set up, but it cost double the price and is just a bar and sub.

Thanks. Yeah, my TV only outputs stereo from non TV broadcast sources. I would need to hook directly into the SB to get 5.1 out of the other devices.

I have a vizio m4921b2, and the manual states that the M series will passthrough 5.1 DTS so long as you have "bitstream" mode enabled and the tv speakers disabled in the settings menu. I tested it with my AVR and can confirm that it was receiving, and decoding, a DTS 5.1 stream. I've uploaded the manuals for the TV and 42 soundbar. So, you don't need to run this soundbar through an AVR to get full access to its audio potential. Most modern TVs that support HDMI ARC should have a feature to disable internal audio and enable bitstream pass through.

I owned the 42 inch version for about a week and returned it. I moved into a townhouse and the living room/viewing space isn't conducive to my usual 5.1 set-up. I thought I could live with the compromise in sound quality to save space and go with a sleek set-up, but I was wrong. Perhaps I would have had better luck with using my AVR to process the sound instead of running through the TV - dunno, didn't try that. It's a pity that the 42inch version of the soundbar doesn't come with at least a single HDMI input to ensure you're getting access to the full lossless audio stream.

I have a vizio m4921b2, and the manual states that the M series will passthrough 5.1 DTS so long as you have "bitstream" mode enabled and the tv speakers disabled in the settings menu. I tested it with my AVR and can confirm that it was receiving, and decoding, a DTS 5.1 stream. I've uploaded the manuals for the TV and 42 soundbar. So, you don't need to run this soundbar through an AVR to get full access to its audio potential. Most modern TVs that support HDMI ARC should have a feature to disable internal audio and enable bitstream pass through.

I owned the 42 inch version for about a week and returned it. I moved into a townhouse and the living room/viewing space isn't conducive to my usual 5.1 set-up. I thought I could live with the compromise in sound quality to save space and go with a sleek set-up, but I was wrong. Perhaps I would have had better luck with using my AVR to process the sound instead of running through the TV - dunno, didn't try that. It's a pity that the 42inch version of the soundbar doesn't come with at least a single HDMI input to ensure you're getting access to the full lossless audio stream.

But it will NOT support DolbyDigital PLUS that Netflix uses nor will it downcode it. You will hear nothing. The only work around is to purchase Amazon FireTV which will downcode DD+ to DD via its Optical output which this old tech box will accept.

But it will NOT support DolbyDigital PLUS that Netflix uses nor will it downcode it. You will hear nothing. The only work around is to purchase Amazon FireTV which will downcode DD+ to DD via its Optical output which this old tech box will accept.

FYI.. my Vizio E600I-B3 Will down code netflix DD+ through optical to this soundbar. My Vizio has a built in Netflix app. I also play in netflix through my TV via my WD TV Live my TV(optical) downgrades to DD. I will try to hook my WD TV Live directly to the soundbar to see if it plays.. I will of course have to hook audio Arc or TV so jot sure if that will downgrade if the WD TV is directly connected or not

I haven't had any issues playing back Netflix DD+ programming with my 5451 and Vizio display.
I've never had a situation where I get no audio output.
As mentioned before I have my Vizio display set to bitstream with TV speakers turned off.
I'm using the ARC input/output of the Vizio display connected to the 5451 via HDMI.
Also I'm using the Vizio display's internal Netflix APP...

FWIW... my 54" arrived today. I've only hooked it into the DIRECTV box via HDMI with DIRECTV into bar via HDMI---out to TV via ARC HDMI. So far so good. I'm totally satisfied with the sound it produces in my bonus room.
I've also played some VEVO music videos on my phone with audio through the bar via BT. It actually sounds better than my 5.2 system downstairs with both of these sources, but room acoustics and floor plan play a MASSIVE role there.

For the price shipped from Sams--it's perfect and perfectly simple. Looking forward to further testing...

I haven't had any issues playing back Netflix DD+ programming with my 5451 and Vizio display.
I've never had a situation where I get no audio output.
As mentioned before I have my Vizio display set to bitstream with TV speakers turned off.
I'm using the ARC input/output of the Vizio display connected to the 5451 via HDMI.
Also I'm using the Vizio display's internal Netflix APP...

Makes sense. The Vizio TV is decoding or downcoding the DD+. As the soundbar only supports DD and DTS, I presume it is downcoding to DD or matrix. What symbol lights when Netflix starts?

And that is exactly what ARC does. Sends Audio out of the TV to an AVR via the HDMI cable while external sources are going the other way into the TV. It seems this box was intended only for Vizio TV's which seem to pair nicely with it.

Makes sense. The Vizio TV is decoding or downcoding the DD+. As the soundbar only supports DD and DTS, I presume it is downcoding to DD or matrix. What symbol lights when Netflix starts?

And that is exactly what ARC does. Sends Audio out of the TV to an AVR via the HDMI cable while external sources are going the other way into the TV. It seems this box was intended only for Vizio TV's which seem to pair nicely with it.

Has anyone used this soundbar with out the rear speakers? I am looking for a soundbar + sub combo for my living room. Is there any harm in not using the rear speakers? Or am I better off buying a non 5.1 system if I am going to do that.

I am really hoping for a 54 inch bar, and Vizio does not have a 2.1 version of it.

Has anyone used this soundbar with out the rear speakers? I am looking for a soundbar + sub combo for my living room. Is there any harm in not using the rear speakers? Or am I better off buying a non 5.1 system if I am going to do that.

I am really hoping for a 54 inch bar, and Vizio does not have a 2.1 version of it.

The idea behind this 5.1 is that it works for (nearly) every setup. Wireless subwoofer means you can put it behind the seating area, and position the surrounds pretty much anywhere. I can't imagine why it wouldn't work for you. But yes, it works without the surrounds, if that's your thing...